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Chile - The Land of All Extremes

October 24, 2024

Chile is going through a social and environmental crisis that is fracturing society. The wealthy nation is undergoing a migratory crisis on an unprecedented scale.

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Chile - The Land of All Extremes
Image: Java

Shantytowns are multiplying as a result, creating unprecedented societal tension.

Chile - The Land of All Extremes
The Chuquicamata mine.Image: Java

Chile possesses huge mineral wealth and is an export giant. The country produces the most copper in the world, and is home to one of the globe’s largest open-pit mines, the Chuquicamata mine. Located in the Atacama Desert, this mine is one kilometer deep, four kilometers long and three kilometers wide. The town of Chuquicamata had to be abandoned in 2004: as the mine grew, so did levels of waste gas and dust in the air. The extraction of raw materials has many downsides.

Chile also mines lithium and manganese and holds some of the most productive salmon farms and marine resources in the world.

Chile - The Land of All Extremes
The Pérez Cruz family lives a privileged life.Image: Java

At the head of this economy are major industrial groups. Most are owned by old Chilean families. Some made their fortunes in the 70s, thanks to close ties with General Pinochet’s regime. The film presents the Pérez Cruz family business, which has a monopoly on gas distribution. They are typical of a small Chilean elite that is intent on defending traditional values.

Chile - The Land of All Extremes
The Atacama lies in the rain shadow of the Andes; any easterly winds that occur are dry and bring no rainfall. Close to the coast, a cold ocean current, the Humboldt Current, prevents the development of rain clouds, so that, unlike further north or south, there is no downpour.Image: Java

But the impact of climate change and pollution represents a threat. The mining and textile industries are putting pressure on the ecosystem in a nation that grapples with extreme weather. In some regions, it no longer rains.
 

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THU 07.11.2024 – 09:15 UTC
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